1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to safety devices and, more particularly, to an improved combination device which acts as an inflatable personal vehicle crash barrier and water flotation life preserver.
2. Prior Art
Inflatable, globular, pillow-like air bags have been used in motor cars, trucks and similar land vehicles as personal crash barriers to preserve a person sitting behind the bag in the event of a crash. Such bags automatically inflate during the crash. They are permanently connected to their containers for reuse after the crash. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,779,577 and 3,748,477. Such devices have not been employed in airplanes, helicopters and the like air vehicles, even though many air passengers are injured each year because of rough weather flights and bumpy landings. Instead, airplanes do provide cushions which float, in case of a ditching at sea, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,766, or conventional Mae West type flotation preservers (See U.S. Pat. No. 3,345,657), and inflatable emergency slides and rafts (See U.S. Pat. No. 3,679,025).
Recently, various improvements have been made in plane safety devices. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,535 is directed to inflatable airplane crash means in the form of flat inflatable panels positioned on the seats, bulkheads and plane baggage rocks, but of little use as a flotation device, while U.S. Pat. No. 3,243,822 is directed to an inflatable jacket to be worne by a plane passenger and inflated before and during a collision. That device has not received any acceptance due to its bulk, inconvenience and suggestion of danger.
More exotic personal protection devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,895,396, 3,105,981 and 462,291, all of which must be worne before use, like the jacket of U.S. Pat. No. 3,243,822.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved inflatable personal safety device which will protect air passengers and the like both from the shock of crashes and the jolting during a rough weather flight, but also will be useful as a water flotation device in case of a ditching at sea. Such device should be small, unobtrusive, easily inflated, deflated and reusable, and should not require wearing by the passenger before use.